THOSE WHO HAVE APPROVAL OF THE OUTSIDE
Lragir, Armenia
Sept 28 2007
The leader of the People’s Party Tigran Karapetyan spelled out his
stance on support from the outside to the aspirants to presidency
in a news conference on September 28 at the Pastark Club. Tigran
Karapetyan began with Dashnaktsutyun, including Raffi Hovannisian.
"There are two wings in Dashnaktsutyun, therefore they named two
candidates, the Yerevan wing and the Iranian wing. There is influence
from the outside and contact with Raffi Hovannisian. They have worked
together, across the ocean, everywhere," Tigran Karapetyan says.
He thinks the United States okayed Raffi Hovannisian. He finds
it difficult to tell if Levon Ter-Petrosyan is supported from the
outside, he says his aides are pushing him to run in the election to
get promoted.
"Vazgen Manukyan is an attractive candidate today. But he cannot run
in the election by himself unless someone backs him. I think he could
be backed by Ara Abrahamyan," Tigran Karapetyan says. As to Arthur
Baghdasaryan, Tigran Karapetyan declined to speak about him because
Arthur Baghdasaryan is having hard times now. "In my show he said
they did not give election bribes in Gyumri, Samvel Balasanyan did,
he says, and he was not with them. How if he was the leader of their
parliamentary faction until the election? He says the leader of their
faction was not with them. It is risky for the leader of the faction.
What if he runs in the election and gets little percentage? He is
going to have a heart attack if he gets less votes than me," Tigran
Karapetyan says. He thinks he will get more votes in the presidential
election than in the parliamentary election.
Tigran Karapetyan says Russia okayed Serge Sargsyan. "The Russians
said he is not the first but he is not the second either. In fact,
they saw together with Robert Kocharyan that it was a team, and it
is a guarantee for Robert Kocharyan. And there was agreement with
the United States if they let Raffi pass," Tigran Karapetyan says.
As to his okay, Tigran Karapetyan says nobody okayed him. He says
"if Russia okays him, Serge Sargsyan will complain. If Sarcosi, Arthur
Baghdasaryan, if the U.S. Department of State, Raffi Hovannisian."
"They okay a force which is not backed by people because people
today are weak, they are not organized, if people become stronger and
organized, many will think about it. Therefore we are saying that we
need a civil society," Tigran Karapetyan says.